The Book of the Week

I wanted to share a great picture book we checked out today at the library-- The Swirling Hijaab by Na'imh bint Robert and Nilesh Mistry. It's a wonderful depiction of a little arab girl playing in many different ways with her mother's hijaab. With a swirl of her hand she uses the hijaab as tent, a ship's sail, tea party, warrior queen's cloak (like this depiction of girl power!), blanket, nomad's baggage, etc. It's a wonderful multicultural book that has been published in 20 dual languages (English always present). This image is the Urdu edition rather than the Arabic edition I have just ordered for home. This will be another great add to our collection for Eleanor to have representing her time here in the Middle East.

The Swirling Hijaab reminds me of a another picture book I love - My Mother's Sari by Sandhya Rao. This is a stunning book as well that is a personal favorite that I highly recommend. From School Libary Journal: "A simple text celebrates a childs connection with her mothers sari, a stretch of cloth that is long like a train and that fills the air with color when I dance and sing. A blue sari is a river; a patterned one is a place to hide with her friends. Best of all, the youngster wraps herself in the vivid cloth because she loves how it makes her dream. The endpapers demonstrate how to wrap the garment. Full-spread illustrations capture the colors and textures of the fabrics and the little girls wide-eyed playfulness and love of her mothers attire."